


Reassurance

by MusicalRaven



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Angst, Drabble, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-03
Updated: 2018-09-03
Packaged: 2019-07-06 07:46:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15881667
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusicalRaven/pseuds/MusicalRaven
Summary: Duck gets a late night house call from a shaken up Aubrey





	Reassurance

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: Spoilers for the latest episode

Duck wasn't unused to loud noises waking him up. Delilah liked to jump on every surface possible in the early morning hours, meaning something was bound to topple over. So he was easily able to curl the blanket close to his chest and start to drift off again quite fast. 

Except this time another loud thud came. And another. And another. As Duck finally managed to pull himself into a sitting position, he realized what he was actually hearing was very loud, very deliberate knocking.

He checked the clock. 3:12am. God, who the fuck would bother someone this early? Was he getting robbed? No, they wouldn't bother to knock. Might as well call the cops on yourself before you even got in the house.

Duck yawned, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and pulling himself to his feet. He forced his eyes open, rubbing at them as he stumbled out of his room and down the hallway. The knocking had stopped and briefly, Duck considered shoving a chair under the door and going back to bed. That'd stop em, right?

Right then it started up again. Duck groaned.

"Alright, this had better be good," He grumbled, slowly undoing the deadbolt and pulling open the door a crack. He blinked, then blinked again, clearing his vision. A still slightly blurry Aubrey gave a small wave, smiling sheepishly at Duck.

"Uh, hey there. Did I wake ya?"

Duck stared at her a moment. "No, I was just up. Vacuuming my house like I always do at three in the morning."

"Oh, okay, good." Aubrey rubbed a hand on the back of her neck. "Cause, uh, wouldn't wanna wake you or nothing. That'd be rude."

They stared at each other for another long moment.

"So," Duck said finally. "You have a reason for standin' here or…?"

"Oh, um, not really." She shrugged. "I'll uh, just, go…" She stretched out the end of her sentence as she pointed over her shoulder, and Duck narrowed his eyes.

"Now Aubrey, you had a reason. So? Out-" He paused, letting out a rather loud yawn. "Out with it."

Aubrey grabbed at the bottom of her vest, twisting the material in her hands. "Well, um, I just- I just needed-" She took a breath, closing her eyes. "I needed to make sure you were still…alive. Okay? I just needed to make sure."

Duck blinked. "I- Aubrey-"

She shook her head. "Look, I've done this before. I've imagined a happy ending and pretended it was my reality. And if I just, didn't go back I could make it true." She swallowed hard, yanking the vest downwards. "I like to pretend I'm better than that now but I-" She shook her head again, eyes blinking open as a tear spilled down her cheek. "I don't know if I am." Her voice cracked, and she wiped the tear away.

"Aubrey," Duck said, voice soft. "I'm right here, okay?" He flexed his fingers, moving forward then standing awkwardly for a moment, arms half raised. Aubrey, however, wasted no time wrapping her arms around his middle, pulling him into a hug. Duck jerked in surprise. He felt stiff as he patted her back, attempting to reciprocate the hug best he could. "I'm right here, Aubrey. I'm hard to kill, remember?"

Aubrey choked a laugh. "Yeah," She said, voice shaking. "Yeah, I remember."

They stood there for a while, Aubrey sniffling as Duck stroked her back, still tense but less so. He let out a breath. "You know, my couch has a uh, futon thing built in. I use it when Jane comes to visit. You could, uh, sleep there tonight. If that would help."

Aubrey nodded into his shoulder. "Please."

Duck sighed, smiling a little as he pulled back. Aubrey wiped at her face, sniffling some more. His whole shoulder no doubt looked like it had been sprayed by a hose, but he could change once he got her settled. He couldn't just send her home like this.

"Thanks, Duck." Aubrey gave him a wobbly smile. "Sorry, I'm such a mess."

"Nah, we're all a bit shaken up after yesterday." He shrugged. "Just give it time."


End file.
